Housing Advocate 2 [Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)]

IRCO • Portland, OR

19h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) is a non-profit organization established in 1976 to serve immigrants, refugees, and the broader community in Portland, Oregon. Our mission is to welcome, serve and empower refugees, immigrants and people across cultures and generations to reach their full potential. The Housing Advocate 2 is responsible for expedited delivery of the Emergency Housing Voucher program, providing permanent housing to survivors of domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking in Multnomah County, delivering case management, economic empowerment, and resource connection to survivors. The Housing Advocate 2 focuses on increasing housing options for survivors by establishing connections with landlords, property managers, and other service providers. All Survivor Housing staff utilize a survivor-centered, strengths-based, empowerment model to cultivate trust, establish and promote trauma-informed communication, and provide advocacy and case management that facilitates, encourages, and assists clients to reach their goals.

Requirements

• Fluency and ability to fulfill all services in English; additional language fluency preferred but not required.
• Familiarity with rapid rehousing or Home Forward vouchers is very valuable.
• Oregon Domestic Violence Certification within 10 days of hire.
• Must be able to pass an extensive background check.
• Must possess a valid driver's license, current auto insurance, and have full use of an automobile during work hours
• Experience in the following areas: housing advocacy, building community partnerships, and provision of supportive services, especially within multi-background communities.
• Completion of the 40-hour Oregon Domestic Violence Certified Advocate training.
• Knowledge about the impacts of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking and its intersections with poverty and homelessness.
• Knowledge of confidentiality laws, disclosures, and release of information
• Knowledge of Housing and Homeless services policy in Multnomah and surrounding counties is highly valuable.
• Training and understanding of Trauma-Informed Care
• Ability to develop healthy boundaries with clients.
• Strong community-aware approach.
• Fluency and ability to fulfill all services in English; bilingual preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated skill and experience working with multi-background communities (race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, education, religion, age, class, etc.)
• Ability to cultivate and develop respectful engagement and equitable working relationships with colleagues and community members.
• An effective and compassionate communicator, both verbally and in writing, with excellent active listening skills to identify the needs and goals of our participants.
• Ability to be self-directed and multitask effectively; be flexible, prioritize daily workload, and operate calmly amidst stressful circumstances.
• Analytical, problem solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to pass an extensive background check.

Nice To Haves

• additional language fluency preferred but not required
• Familiarity with rapid rehousing or Home Forward vouchers is very valuable
• bilingual preferred but not required

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Survivor sector and partner agencies to identify and support referred participants to the Emergency Housing Voucher program and coordinate supportive services before and after acceptance into the rapid rehousing program.
• Provide trauma-informed advocacy.
• Manage a caseload up to 30 households and develop comprehensive case management plans for permanent housing stability, health and wellness, legal services, employment and educational placements, and other appropriate services as driven by survivor priorities and goals.
• Provide or secure interpretation, translation, and accessibility services.
• Navigate risk assessment with survivors and provide immediate and ongoing safety planning, crisis intervention, emergency shelters and motels, and mental health services as needed.
• Assist participants in gathering income verification, calculating rental assistance contribution and utility allowance; complete housing inspections and other required documentation; write letters of support when requested; and obtain clearance from law enforcement.
• Continuously contribute to Survivor Housing Team’s network of new and existing private landlords, property managers, and other housing options to ensure rapid rehousing for survivors.
• In partnership with Coordinator, identify prospective safe affordable housing sites and establish relationships with landlords and property managers; build awareness about the program.
• Partner with survivors in barrier reduction, housing location, move in, tenant and housing rights, connection to housing legal aid, and other housing mediation and advocacy as necessary.
• Build partnership with educational and employment programs; assist clients with budgeting, interview practice, resources for professional work attire, job search, English language courses, vocational training, and career and educational advancements.
• Encourage financial empowerment, increase income and/or other financial resources, including pursuing child support, TANF, Social Security benefits, Victim Compensation, and other creative solutions to reduce overall costs for the family, through childcare arrangements, ridesharing, low-cost public transportation options, etc.
• Review action plans regularly with survivor to ensure stability at end of financial assistance; achieve goal of client financial self-sufficiency or client connection with other permanent supports and resources such as Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8).
• Possess an impeccable degree of confidentiality; knowledge of laws about confidentiality, disclosures, and release of information (or capacity to learn and strictly implement said laws).
• Maintain confidential client files and records of service provision; complete data entry in Apricot and HMIS (CompSite) databases, client expense tracking, and all other administrative tasks within given timelines.
• Maintains accurate records of all housing placements, collects relevant data, and enters client assistance-related reports in HMIS' comparable site (CompSite) in compliance with HUD guidelines and requirements.
• Participate in collaborative housing related meetings with partner agencies as needed
• Participate and contribute to all staff meetings, retreats, and trainings.
• Effectively contribute to program standard operating procedures.
• Demonstrate ongoing commitment to IRCO mission and values.
• Availability to work occasional evening and weekend hours.
• Perform other duties as requested.

Benefits

• Full-Time with Benefits
• 3 to 6 weeks of PTO per year
• 401k match of over 100% on first 5%, immediate vesting
• 3% match for student loans or college savings
• 12 Paid Holidays and 1 Floating Holiday
• Medical & Dental insurance options with 90% coverage for employee AND Families, no deductibles
• Employer Paid Life, Short term, and Long-term Disability Insurance
• Flexible spending accounts

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed